


Real

by pizZiCcato



Series: MuraHimu Week 2015 [7]
Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Alternate Universe, Childhood Friends, Day 7 Entry, Free day, Gen, M/M, Mental Health Issues, MuraHimu Week 2015, This is weird
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-01
Updated: 2015-11-01
Packaged: 2018-04-29 09:20:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5122850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pizZiCcato/pseuds/pizZiCcato
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For as long as Atsushi could remember, Muro-chin has always been by his side.<br/>What was he supposed to do when Muro-chin leaves?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Real

**Author's Note:**

> Day 7: Ice Cream (11/01)
> 
> Free day
> 
> I had no idea what to do for this entry, so this happened.

“Oh, look, Atsushi! Ice cream!”

Atsushi kept walking, completely ignoring the person talking to him. “Heeey, Atsushi, you like them, don’t you? Why don’t you get one?”

_Please, just shut up._

“Stop ignoring me, would you?” A person stepped in front of Atsushi. Black hair hiding his left eye, pale skin, one visible grey eye, a lean figure, wearing all black. It’s a wonder how he can continue wearing black during summer.

“Muro-chin, you’re noisy,” Atsushi grumbled.

Atsushi remembered a time when he enjoyed this guy’s company, but that seemed like so long ago. Now he only wanted to be left alone. _Why won’t Muro-chin leave him alone?_

He quickly walked around Muro-chin and started hurrying away, hoping to lose him in the crowd. Of course, Muro-chin followed him effortlessly, slipping through the crowd much more easily than Atsushi could ever hope to. Atsushi still tried to shake him off.

Soon enough, they got to a more deserted place. Atsushi turned around to face Muro-chin. “Stop following me.”

Muro-chin looked up at him innocently. “Why should I?”

“You’re giving me the creeps. Stop following me.” Atsushi scowled at Muro-chin, but the shorter male still seemed unfazed.

With an odd glint in his visible eye, Muro-chin smiled. “No way.”

 

_They’d first met a really long time ago. It had been such a long time, Atsushi couldn’t even remember when it was. But he knew that for as long as he could remember, Muro-chin had been with him._

_“Hey, you’re eating too much, Atsushi. Do you want to get a stomachache?” Muro-chin said, quietly watching as Atsushi ate the mountain of snacks piled up on his desk._

_Atsushi paused in eating his potato chips. He tilted his head and stared at Muro-chin for a moment before offering the packet to him. “Do you want some, Muro-chin?”_

_Muro-chin smiled and shook his head. “No, I don’t need any. You should save those for next time.”_

_Atsushi hummed. “Alright then.”_

 

“Hey, Atsushi. Didn’t your teacher give you an assignment last time?”

Atsushi stayed silent where he was lying on his bed. He kept his eyes closed, silently chanting in his heart for Muro-chin to _go away, please go away_ , but of course it won’t work.

Silence for a moment. Atsushi almost thought that maybe Muro-chin had gone away, but then he felt fingers ghosting over his cheek and opened his eyes with a scowl. Muro-chin smiled down at him. Atsushi didn’t like how Muro-chin’s smiles always made him feel funny.

“You shouldn’t ignore your friend, you know,” Muro-chin sang. He sat on the edge of the bed and continued, “You also shouldn’t forget your duties. This place is a mess, when was the last time you cleaned up?”

“That’s none of your business.” _Please go away._

Silence again. Then, “Atsushi, you seem to not want me around now. What happened?”

Atsushi’s chest felt tight all of a sudden. “Nothing.”

 

_“Atsushi, what happened to your homework?”_

_“It’s hopeless. I have no idea what I’m supposed to do.”_

_Muro-chin sighed and walked over to where Atsushi’s homework lay abandoned. “It’s not that hard, you know. You just have to write a short essay about someone you know.”_

_Atsushi lazily turned to his friend. “I have no idea who to write about.” An idea then came to him. “Hey, Muro-chin. Can I write about you?”_

_Tatsuya smiled. “Of course you can.”_

 

Muro-chin seemed sad. No, he looked… heartbroken? Atsushi didn’t like seeing that look on him, especially if he’s the cause. “Muro-chin, I’m sorry.”

No response from Muro-chin. He got up and walked out of the room. Atsushi almost went after him, but stopped himself. He wanted Muro-chin to leave him alone, did he? Muro-chin’s leaving him alone now. Isn’t it just what he wanted?

_But Muro-chin left with such a sad face._

Atsushi pinched the bridge of his nose. It made him feel uneasy, really uneasy, but how else was he supposed to make Muro-chin leave?

_He looked so sad. Atsushi could’ve been nicer. After all, Muro-chin had been with him for so long._

Atsushi cursed as he got up. Why must things be so difficult?

 

_Atsushi’s teacher looked interested in his essay. “Atsushi-kun, who is this Muro-chin?”_

_“He’s my best friend!” Atsushi said with vigor. Muro-chin smiled from where he was standing in the corner of the room._

_One of his classmates raised his hand. “Where does he live?”_

_Atsushi blinked. He looked to Muro-chin for help, but his friend was looking at something outside the window with obvious interest. “I… don’t know. Muro-chin is always hanging around me, so I never asked.”_

_“You don’t even know where he lives?” his other classmate asked._

_“No! It’s just he never really left my side, so it never came to mind!” For some reason, Atsushi felt a weird sort of panic rising in him._

_“He never left your side?” Atsushi’s teacher raised her brows. There was a weird look on her face. “Atsushi, where is Muro-chin now?”_

_That panic had turned into dread. Atsushi didn’t understand where it was coming from. Later in his life, he would probably call it some sort of foreboding. “He’s there,” he said, pointing to where Muro-chin was still looking out the window._

_Everyone in the class turned their heads that way, but none of them seemed to see Muro-chin. There was some murmuring among them until one of the kids yelled, “He’s a nut!”_

_Just like that, a ruckus started in the class. Atsushi didn’t understand, why can’t they see Muro-chin?_

_Muro-chin met his eyes from across the room. The grey eyes Atsushi had come to know so well seemed uncharacteristically sad._

 

Atsushi left the building after looking in pretty much every corner of it without finding Muro-chin. Where was he supposed to look? Where would Muro-chin go?

_Just leave him alone._

No, Atsushi didn’t want to leave him alone. He also didn’t want to be left alone. He’d wanted Muro-chin to leave him alone before, but that’s because he didn’t think about what it would be like without Muro-chin. Now he knew, and even though it had only been a little while, he already knew that he wanted his friend with him. Not having his constant presence around him was so much harder than Atsushi initially thought.

_You don’t know where to look._

He wouldn’t know if he didn’t try.

 

_Atsushi was sitting on an uncomfortable chair inside a weird office. A woman was sitting across from him with a smile on her face, but it was too cheerful and bright. Muro-chin’s smile was prettier._

_She asked Atsushi many questions. Atsushi replied with short answers, his mood worsening with each tick of the clock. Muro-chin looked on, a worried frown etched on his face._

_One session was more than enough to make Atsushi refuse to step foot near that place again, but his parents made him go there many more times. He still couldn’t understand why, until he overheard his parents talking with that woman._

_“…He’s seeing things… What’s wrong? …Always talking to himself…”_

_“…Imaginary friends… It’s normal, he’ll get over it…”_

_Atsushi looked to Muro-chin. Muro-chin had his back turned to Atsushi. What kind of face was he making?_

 

Dark clouds hung over the sky with the promise of heavy rain. Atsushi still couldn’t find Muro-chin. Where is he? Why can’t Atsushi find him?

_Muro-chin, please come back. Don’t leave me alone._

_I’m really sorry._

 

_“Muro-chin isn’t real, Atsushi-kun.”_

_“He’s real.”_

_“It’s fine to have imaginary friends when you’re young, but you’ve grown up. You should start making real friends.”_

_“Muro-chin is my best friend, he’s the only friend I’ll ever need.” Atsushi was uncharacteristically calm as he said that. Maybe it’s because he knew it was true. Maybe it’s because Muro-chin was standing in the corner, smiling at Atsushi, as if saying that he’ll always be with him. He has been doing a good job at that._

_Atsushi didn’t care what other people might say._

 

It’s starting to drizzle lightly, and Atsushi still haven’t found Muro-chin. He’d starting yelling Muro-chin’s name about ten minutes ago, which made everyone look at him funny, but Atsushi didn’t care. He wanted Muro-chin back.

_Muro-chin, where are you?_

_Please come back, I’m sorry._

Atsushi saw a figure that looked just like Muro-chin darting off into an alleyway. “Muro-chin!” he yelled, immediately running there. Atsushi saw him pause for a moment, but Muro-chin started running soon after. Atsushi wasted no time to run after him. “Muro-chin, wait!”

No matter what Atsushi yelled at him, Muro-chin won’t stop, so they kept running for god knows how long. When they finally stopped running, the rain was pelting down on them in buckets. Atsushi only realized then how drenched his clothes were.

They stood there for a moment, Atsushi catching his breath and Muro-chin just standing with his back to Atsushi. Then slowly, Muro-chin turned. “Atsushi.”

 

_Atsushi’s mother was crying. It was the first time he saw her in tears. She was saying something about Muro-chin. She said Muro-chin isn’t real and Atsushi has to get over it and all sorts of things. She also said Atsushi needs to grow up._

_“Muro-chin is–“ was all Atsushi managed to get out before his mother grabbed him by his shoulders._

_“That stupid friend of yours isn’t real! Grow up, Atsushi!” she screamed in his face. Something in her face Atsushi recoil._

_Muro-chin was looking on, a blank look on his face._ If he were real, he wouldn’t have been wearing a look like that. He would’ve been fuming, _Atsushi thought._

_Muro-chin isn’t real._

 

“Muro-chin,” Atsushi panted, hunched over and still trying to catch his breath. Muro-chin watched with that same blank look he’d worn when Atsushi’s mother had cried. “Muro-chin,” Atsushi called again, “I’m sorry.”

Muro-chin scoffed. “You’re apologizing to someone who isn’t real. How laughable.”

Atsushi straightened up. “I’ll apologize as many times as I have to. I’m sorry, please forgive me. I shouldn’t have ignored you.”

“You know you shouldn’t have ignored me, yet you did that anyways.” Muro-chin’s eye glinted dangerously. “Do you know what it’s like for me? Don’t you know that you’re the only one who can see me? Do you have any idea what it’s like to be ignored by the only one who can see you?!”

_He’s not real._ “I’m sorry.” _He’s not real._ “I’m sorry, please don’t leave me.” _He’s not real, damn it._

Muro-chin laughed. “You’re arguing with someone you conjured up yourself in your head. You’re arguing with yourself. I’m not real, Atsushi. You don’t have to apologize.”

“I’m sorry.” Atsushi took a step forward. “Please don’t leave me. I need you. I don’t know what to do without you.”

“No,” Muro-chin said, somewhat resolute, “You should’ve stopped needing me years ago. You need to grow up, Atsushi, just like your mother said. You need real people in your life.”

Panic started rising up Atsushi’s chest. “What do you mean?”

Muro-chin smiled, so sad it almost couldn’t count as one. He closed the distance between them and reached out to touch Atsushi, but his hand just went through as if he wasn’t there.

(He really wasn’t there.)

“You need real people in your life,” Muro-chin repeated. “I’m not supposed to stay for so long.”

Atsushi was somewhat grateful that it was raining, because it hid his tears. “But I need you, Muro-chin.”

“You’ll find a way.” Muro-chin lowered his hand and turned away. “Goodbye, Atsushi.”

Atsushi watched as his friend walked away from his life. He wanted to stop him, but they could no longer touch. He’s never been good at talking, so he can’t persuade Muro-chin either.

_There really is nothing you can do._

**Author's Note:**

> I have no idea how the whole thing with imaginary friends works, so this is probably not so accurate.  
> This is weird.  
> Last day of MuraHimu Week 2015. I've posted lots of shits in this period of time.  
> My birthday is next week.


End file.
